Apparatus and method for manufacturing discrete portions

Abstract

An apparatus for manufacturing discrete portions ( 19; 119 ) comprises: an advancement device for advancing a flexible material ( 4; 102 ) along a path (P 1 ); a cutting device ( 18 ) positioned along said path (P 1 ) for cutting the flexible material ( 4; 102 ) so as to obtain a discrete portion ( 19; 119 ), the cutting device ( 18 ) comprising a laser source ( 20 ) configured to emit a laser beam ( 21 ) incident on a rear face ( 7; 107 ), opposite a printed front face ( 5; 105 ), of the flexible material ( 4; 102 ); a retaining device ( 22 ) for retaining the flexible material ( 4; 102 ) while the cutting device ( 18 ) cuts the discrete portion ( 19; 119 ) from the flexible material ( 4; 102 ).

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for manufacturing discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ), comprising:
 a first advancement device for advancing a flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) along a first path (P 1 ); 
 a cutting device ( 18 ) positioned along said first path (P 1 ) for cutting the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) so as to obtain discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ) separated from waste material ( 30 ), the cutting device ( 18 ) comprising a laser source ( 20 ) so configured as to emit a laser beam ( 21 ) incident on a rear face ( 7 ;  107 ), the rear face ( 7 ;  107 ) being opposite a printed front face ( 5 ;  105 ) of the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ); 
 a retaining device ( 22 ) for retaining the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) while the cutting device ( 18 ) cuts the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ) from the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ), which comprises a belt having a branch ( 24 ) facing the cutting device ( 18 ) and a conveying portion ( 27 ) arranged downstream of the branch ( 24 ), a separation zone ( 29 ) being interposed between the branch ( 24 ) and the conveying portion ( 27 ) for separating the waste material ( 30 ) from the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ), so that the conveying portion ( 27 ) conveys only the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ); 
 a detachment zone ( 8 ) for separating the flexible material ( 4 ) from a support layer ( 3 ), the detachment zone ( 8 ) being positioned upstream of the cutting device ( 18 ), so that the support layer ( 3 ) does not interfere with the cutting device ( 18 ); 
 a second advancement device for advancing the support layer ( 3 ) along a second path (P 2 ) from the detachment zone ( 8 ) to a coupling zone ( 34 ) where the discrete portions ( 19 ,  119 ) are coupled to the support layer ( 3 ); 
 
       characterised in that the coupling zone ( 34 ) is positioned downstream of the cutting device ( 18 ) and downstream of the separation zone ( 29 ), said coupling zone ( 34 ) being separated from the separation zone ( 29 ) by the conveying portion ( 27 ), wherein the conveying portion ( 27 ) of the belt holds the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ) and carries only the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ) from the separation zone ( 29 ) to the coupling zone ( 34 ), wherein the apparatus is constructed and configured such that, as a front portion of each discrete portion ( 19 ;  119 ) first contacts the support layer ( 3 ) at the coupling zone ( 34 ), said front portion simultaneously contacts the belt. 
     
     
       2. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the cutting device ( 18 ) comprises an arrangement of reflective elements for moving the laser beam ( 21 ), so that the laser beam ( 21 ) moves along a line defining a perimeter of the discrete portion ( 19 ;  119 ) and simultaneously follows the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) in order to cut the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) while the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) moves forward along said first path (P 1 ). 
     
     
       3. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the retaining device ( 22 ) is configured to retain the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) by means of an electrostatic force of attraction. 
     
     
       4. An apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the retaining device ( 22 ) comprises a suction belt ( 23 ) for sucking the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ), so that the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) is retained in contact with a retaining surface delimiting the suction belt ( 23 ). 
     
     
       5. An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the retaining surface lies on a substantially vertical plane. 
     
     
       6. An apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the suction belt ( 23 ) is movable synchronously with said first advancement device, so that the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) is retained while the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) advances along a part of said first path (P 1 ). 
     
     
       7. An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the coupling zone ( 34 ) is distinguished from the separation zone ( 29 ) by means of the conveying portion ( 27 ) which has a length such as to allow the discrete portions ( 19 ) to be completely separated from the waste material ( 30 ). 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the branch ( 24 ) of the belt retains the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) while the cutting device ( 18 ) cuts the discrete portion ( 19 ;  119 ) from the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ). 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt retains the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) continuously while the cutting device ( 18 ) cuts the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ) from the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) and until the waste material ( 30 ) is separated from the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ), and wherein the belt continuously retains the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ) from when the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ) are cut from the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) until the discrete portions ( 19 ;  119 ) are coupled at the coupling zone ( 34 ) to the support layer ( 3 ). 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt retains the flexible material ( 4 ;  102 ) via electrostatic force of attraction. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, as each discrete portion ( 19 ;  119 ) contacts the support layer ( 3 ) at the coupling zone ( 34 ), it simultaneously contacts the belt. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein, as each portion of each discrete portion ( 19 ;  119 ) contacts the support layer ( 3 ) at the coupling zone ( 34 ), said each portion simultaneously contacts the belt. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the support layer ( 3 ) moves continuously from the detachment zone ( 8 ) to and through the coupling zone ( 34 ). 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the belt is curved at the location where said front portion simultaneously contacts the belt.